Iceland In Winter

I expected more ice, it has to be said.  I also packed my thermals and it turned out to be warmer than home.  But, I also know how bitterly cold it can get in countries like this in Winter even if the thermometer doesn’t show it as looking so bad – driving rain, strong winds and pervasive dampness can chill you to the bone where the same temperature on a sunny day in the Alps could feel positively balmy.

This was my 40th birthday present from Romana.  The hope had been to see the Northern Lights, something I always wanted to witness.  Sadly the weather and conditions meant it wasn’t to be.  But I still appreciated the trip and the unique experiences – it was a great gift!

I’m not going to extol the virtues of Iceland too much here – it’s a small country, with a rich culture and heritage.  It’s definitely one of those places worth visiting if you get the chance.

One note, though – I expected to be hungry, but it turns out there’s six vegetarian restaurants, and most (but not all, by any means) restaurants offered fairly decent vegetarian options.

PS – some pictures are rather grainy as I had to push the camera somewhat.  This is one dark country!

Sean’s 40th Birthday Party

Sean’s 40. But he’ll always be two months younger than me. Dammit. Well, here’s some photos from his party. Enjoy…

OK, it’s taken me four months to actually pull these images from the memory card, get them on my computer, select them, resize them for the web, and upload them.

And mainly because tomorrow I go to see Sean & Em to celebrate the 1st birthday of their young son Matthew.

I’ll try and be quicker next time, but in the meantime, enjoy the pics: